William L. Hayward, Film and Television Producer, Dies at 66

William L. Hayward, a lawyer and producer whose best-known films include “Haywire,” a television movie based on a memoir by his sister Brooke about their charmed, tragic Hollywood family, was found dead on March 9 at his home in Castaic, Calif. He was 66.

The cause was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said.

“Haywire,” first broadcast on CBS in 1980, told the story of Brooke and William Hayward’s parents, the agent and producer Leland Hayward and the actress Margaret Sullavan. The film, produced by William Hayward and Anna Cottle, starred Jason Robards as Leland Hayward and Lee Remick as Ms. Sullavan. It was based on Brooke Hayward’s nonfiction book of the same title, published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1977.

Together with Peter Fonda and Bert Schneider, William Hayward also produced the feature film “Easy Rider” (1969), which starred Mr. Fonda and Dennis Hopper. Mr. Hayward’s other producing credits include “The Hired Hand” (1971), “High-Ballin’ ” (1978) and “Wanda Nevada” (1979), all starring Mr. Fonda.

William Leland Hayward III, known as Bill, was born on March 27, 1941, in Los Angeles and reared there and in Connecticut. He had two older sisters, Brooke and Bridget. He earned a law degree from the University of West Los Angeles in 1989.

Mr. Hayward was married and divorced three times. In addition to Brooke Hayward, he is survived by two children, Leland and Bridget, and a grandchild. As recounted in the book and film versions of “Haywire,” Mr. Hayward’s mother died in 1960 of an overdose of sleeping pills; his sister Bridget died later the same year, also of an overdose of sleeping pills. Leland Hayward died in 1971.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page C8 of the New York edition with the headline: William L. Hayward, 66, Film and Television Producer. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe